Different Helmets, Same Team - Fighting Santa Fe Swamp Fire

Published June 15th, 2011

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Most of Santa Fe Swamp is burned out, that's 6,000 acres.

"The heats really bad out here, the dust and smoke takes a toll on you, hour after hour. Guys are fatigued --doing this everyday riding a bulldozer is pretty tough," said John Raulerson, who supervises the 30 forest rangers plowing containment lines around Santa Fe Swamp since Monday.

Fighting the fire is a team effort. Forest rangers are working in and around the swamp, and structure firefighters are positioning around homes.

"Exposure protection, making sure anything from the swamp fire does not encroach on any of the homes," said Captain Jason Boree with Clay County Fire Rescue.

Strong westerly winds have pushed structure crews to the southeastern part of the swamp area.

"Low humidity, high and increasing wind, and the heat of the day burning up," said Kurt Wisner, Florida Division of Forestry spokesperson, is a recipe for fire pockets.

"What we're doing is focusing our efforts on making sure that that area is managed properly and if we have to, pulling our resources from the other divisions to support that firefighting effort," said Michael Heeder, Bradford County Emergency Management Coordinator.

However resources throughout the state are drying up.

"The biggest problem right now is the entire state of Florida is on fire," said Raulerson.

But Raulerson says his team will keep on fighting, until mother nature gives them all a break.